Article of furniture



March 1931- F. A. DILLINGHAM ARTICLE OF FURNITURE Filed Oct. 14, 1927INVENTOR. 5M 45,4147 BY WMa/Z M )w ATTORNEYS.

Patented Mar. 3, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FREDERICK A.DILLINGHAM, OF TBOY, OHIO, ASSIGNOB TO THE TROY SUNSHADE COM- PANY, OFTROY, OHIO, A CORPORATION-0F OHIO ARTICLE 01 FURNITURE Application filedOctober 14, 1927. Serial No. 226,162.

The present invention relates to an article of furniture and moreparticularly to an article of furniture of the swinging seat type.

-One object of this invetnion is to provide an article of furniturehaving a swinging seat suspended from a supporting frame in such amanner as to permit forward and rearward swinging movements whiilepreventing undue side swing.

Another object is to provide mechanism of this character effective toovercome any sidewise movement imparted to the seat to return the latterto its normal position, and to maintain the seat within its norinalrange of positioning under varying conditions of location of a load onthe seat.

A further object of the invention is to provide a supporting frame forswingingly supporting the seat, so arrangedas to be convenientlycollapsed; and which is adapted for the support of the seat in such away that twisting strains are not applied on the frame. 7

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing description and from the accompanying drawings. v

Referring to the drawings in which one embodiment of the invention isset forth.

Fig. 1 is a perspective View of the seat and supporting frame of thepresent invention showing the manner in which the seat is suspended;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of one end of the seat supported on theframe;

Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the same; and

Fig. 4 is a view of one end of the supporting frame in its collapsedcondition.

Referring more particularly to the drawings by reference numerals 10designates the seat herein shown as of the couch hammock type. The seatis swung from a support which embodies the two side or end frame members11 and 12 which are connected adjacent their lower portions to ahorizontal bottom frame member 13. This bottom frame is formed of thetwo longitudinal angle-irons 14 and 15 connected together at their endsby cross pieces 16 and 17 to which they are riveted or otherwise firmlyconnected. Pivotally connected adjacent each corner of the bottom frame13 is a short link 20 the other end of which is riveted or otherwisefirmly. attached to the lower end of one of the side uprights of theside frames 11 and 12. These side frames each comprise the twoangle-iron uprights 22 and 23 the lower ends of which are connected asby means of rivets to a foot 24 which engages with the floor at itsouter ends, this foot being bent upwardly a little distance from itsends to provide a horizontally extending portion 25 spaced a littledistance above the floor and lying outwardly of the end of thehorizontal frame 13. Inclined straps 26 and 27 interconnect the portion25 of the foot with the uprights 22 and 23 to firmly brace the latter.At their upper ends the uprights 22 and 23 are fastened to a top rail 29this top rail being preferably a T-iron, the downwardly extending flange30 of the rail being seated in vertical slots in the top of theuprights, throughbolts or rivets 31 fastening the T-rail firmly in placeand inclined straps 32 and 33 interbraeing the uprights and the top railtogether.

The two side or end frames 11 and 12 are thus each formed as a rigidstructure pivotally connected by means of the short links 20 to the endsof the bottom frame 13. The length of the short links 20 is such thatthe side frames may be collapsed to lie flat along the upper side of thebottom frame so that the two side frames are then in alignment with eachother and parallel with the bottom frame 13. The side frames are held intheir normal upright positions by means of links 36 which are pivoted atone end to the corresponding upright of the side frame and at theirother ends are adjustably connected to the bottom frame 13 at pointsconsiderably removed from the corresponding connection with the links20. Each link 36 is provided with a slot 37, the end of which isenlarged upwardly as shown at 38. A bolt 39 is fixed to thecorresponding angle-iron 14 or 15 and this bolt is received in the slot37 in such a way that when the side frames are collapsed the boltremains in engagement with the slot but is then positioned adjacent theother end lUO of the slot remote from the enlargement 38.

When the side frames are upright the length of the links 36 is such thatthe enlargement 38 at the outer end of the slot 37 receives the bolt 39to firmly brace the uprights and hold them rigidly in their normalvertical position.

The seat 10 which may be provided with the customary upholsterycushions, not shown, comprises a seat spring 42 heldin a frame formed ofangle-irons 43 and 44 extending longitudinallyof the seat and end irons45 and 46, which are also preferably of angle shape. At each corner ofthe seat frame thus formed is a depending angle-iron 47 fixed preferablyto the inner side of the end of the longitudinal member of the seat, anda strap 48 is riveted at 49 and 50 to a. longitudinal member and to adepending angle-iron 47, so that the strap pro ects as shown at 51laterally of the seat at a point considerably below the level of the topof the latter. The projecting portions 51 are horizontal and extendbeyond the side frame, but they are spaced a considerable distanceforward or rearward of the uprights 22-23 of the side frame so thatforward and rearward swinging movements are permitted.

The seat is suspended from the top rails 29 of the sideframes in such away that forward and rearward swinging movements of the seat arepermitted in simulation of the swinging movements of a seat suspendedfrom a point at a considerable distance above the couch hammock. Thesuspension is such however as to effectively overcome or resist anysidewise movement of the seat to return the seat to its normal position,centrally located between the two side frames, so that during swingingthe seat will follow a substantially straight back and forth path ofmovement, and will not bump against the side or end frames. Thismounting is such as to overcome or counteract any side sway of the seatdue to unbalanced positioning of the load on the seat, and to maintainit in such normal position laterally with respect to the supportingframe regardless of the location of a load on the seat. For this purposeeach of the extensions 51 adjacent the four corners of the seat issupported by a suspension device comprising a plurality of angularlyrelated hangers, preferably flexible chains as shown at 54 and 55. Eachpair of chains 54 and 55 is shown as connected at a common point 56 to ahook 57 which is hung in a transverse hole in the vertically dependingflange 30 adjacent the end of the top rail 29. The lower ends of the twochains 54 and 55 are connected at points on the extension 51 spaced amaterial distance apart as indicated at 58 and 59. As shown in Fig. 2the points 58 and 59 as viewed from-the front of the seat are locatedequal distances laterally from the suspension point 56 which it will benoted is positioned centrally of the top rail 29, and

-due to such arrangement the construction is such as to prevent anytwisting tendency or strain on the structure. As the chains 54 and 55are connected at points spaced laterally a substantial distance apart onthe extension 51 any sidewise movements of the seat or any tendency ofthe seat to move sidewise will be instantly resisted by a substantial,and progressively increasing, force causing the immediate return of theseat to its normal range of positioning centrally between the sideframes. The flexible nature of the chains 54 and 55 permits the seat tobe bodily moved end wise if a horizontal force is exerted on the seatbut regardless of the position of a load on the top of the seat and evenif a person sits very close to one of the side frames the seat will beheld centrally of the side frames and will be prevented from undulymoving sidewise, this result being attained by reason of the shifting ofthe load from one of the chains to the other of a pair of hangers ifsuch a sidewise movement should be started. A movement of the seat in alateral direction from its normal position results instantly in asubstantial elevation or raising of both ends of the seat, and theweight of the seat together with the load thus exerts a downward forcemaintaining the normal position of the seat.

As viewed from the side of the couch hamhock the chains 54 and 55 formpairs of flex ible suspension members preferably inclined at a slightangle to the vertical so that they extend downwardly and outwardly asshown in Fig. 3, the length of the top rails 29 of the side frames beingslightly smaller than the distance between the side extensions at theend of the seat. As all four of the front chains lie in a commoninclined plane, and all of the chains at the rear of the seat lie inanother common plane, forward and rearward swinging movements of theseat are permitted and as the seat swings forwardly or rearwardly theangle of the same to the horizontal will be changed so that the motionsimulates the motion of a seat swung from a comparatively high point.

As previously stated the usual cushions and upholstery are provided forthe couch hammock, and the side angle-irons 45 and 46 of the seat frameform a supporteto which the seat side pieces (52 may be fastened. Theseside pieces extend upwardly from the side rails of the seat frame and attheir upper ends are bent outwardly to extend over the top of the sideframes as shown in Fig. 2. The side pieces 62 may be interconnected by acurved sheet of metal or other material 63 which forms an arm-restmovable with the seat. A back frame 64 may be pivotally fastened at eachend as at 65 to the rearmost side piece 62, this construction preferablyproviding for adjustment of the back-rest so thati it may be made toassume the proper ang e.

While the form of apparatus herein described constitutes a pre erredembodiment of the invention it is to be understood that the invention isnot limited to this precise form of apparatus, and that changes may bemade therein without departing from the scope of the invention which isdefined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In an article of furniture of the character described, a suspendedseat, a frame for supporting the same, said frame comprising ahorizontal member under the seat and a pair of side members extendingupwardly from the horizontal member on the opposite sides of the seat,said side members each having a to rail projecting forwardly and rearwarly therefrom, said seat having laterally extending end projections ateach corner thereof located a substantial distance below the top of theseat and projecting beyond the ends of the side members, and a pair ofchains normally inclined slightly to the vertical as viewed from theside of the seat connected at laterally spaced points on each projectionand connected at their upper ends adjacent the ends of the said toprails to maintain the seat in its normal position laterally with respectto the frame regardless of the location of a load on the seat.

2. In an article of furniture of the character described, a suspendedseat having a laterally extending end projection adjacent each cornerlocated a substantial distance below the top of the seat, a frame havingopposite side portions adjacent the ends of the seat, said endprojections extending out beond said side portions, and a pair ofhangers connected at laterally spaced points to each projection andconverging laterally on opposite sides of a vertical to a common pointof suspension adjacent the end of the upper part of a side frameportion.

3. In an article of furniture of the character described, a suspendedseat having a laterally extending end projection at each corner locateda substantial distance below the top of the seat, a frame havingopposite side portions adjacent the ends of the seat, said endprojections extending out beyond said side portions, and a pair ofchains connected to points on each projection spaced substantially equalamounts laterally from a frame side portion and converging to a commonpoint of suspension 011 the side frame portion.

4. In an article of furniture of the character described, a suspendedseat having four laterally extendin" end projections one adjacent eachcorner t iereof, a frame having laterally opposite side portions closelyadjacent the ends of the seat, said end projections of the seatextending out beyond the side portions of the frame, four suspensiondevices one connected to each of the foul-projections, thus providin twoindependent suspension devices at eac lateral side of the seat, theupper ends of said four suspension devices being connected to fourdifferent positions of suspension on the frame and sus ending the seatfor forward and rearwar swinging movement between the frame sideportions, a suspension device at each lateral side of the seatcomprising a pair of hangers of definite lengths, the hangers of eachpair divergin laterally downward with respect to forward and rearwardswinging movements on o posites sides of a vertical and connected at teir upper ends to the frame and at their lower ends to a seatprojection.

In testimony whereof I hereto aflix my signature.

FREDERICK A. DILLINGHAM.

